Kushiro Coast Guard and Sightseeing Boat Operators Conduct Joint Rescue Training|Tomorrow will be two years since the sinking of a sightseeing boat off the coast of Shiretoko

On Monday, April 22, 2024, the Kushiro Coast Guard in Hokkaido and the operator of a sightseeing boat based at Kushiro Fishing Port conducted their first joint rescue drill. (Photo courtesy of Kushiro Coast Guard)

The rescue training was conducted with the aim of improving the rescue capabilities of the Japan Tourism Safety Agency and raising the safety awareness of sightseeing boat operators in preparation for the start of sightseeing boat operations starting on April 29. The training began at 10 o'clock in the morning and lasted about an hour. The training was conducted under a situation where a small sightseeing boat with 12 passengers on board was flooded and the engine stopped and the ship could not be navigated, and two patrol boats of the Japan Coast Guard docked at the sightseeing boat, transferred the passengers to the patrol boat, and then the patrol boat towed the sightseeing boat with a rope.

At Kushiro Port, the only sightseeing boat operates, and you can enjoy a sunset cruise to see the sunset at Kushiro Port, which is said to be one of the world's three greatest sunsets, along with Bali and Manila Bay.

The Kushiro Coast Guard will hold a panel exhibition to raise awareness of maritime accident prevention at AEON MALL Kushiro Showa from April 23 ahead of Golden Week, when marine leisure activities for individuals will become popular. Leaflets and patrol boat cards will be distributed to raise awareness. (Photo taken last year)

In Hokkaido, tomorrow marks two years since the sinking of the sightseeing boat KAZU1 off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula on April 23, 2022. Twenty-six people on board were killed or missing in the accident. From the 22nd, the 1st Regional Coast Guard Headquarters will conduct a three-day intensive investigation centered on Cape Shiretoko.